Postcards from people who went.

“Midnight loaf, still warm through my coat. The man behind me in line recited a poem about rye. Nobody filmed it. It was better that way.”

“Step 214 has a heart drawn in the concrete from 1974. Made it to the top without stopping for the first time. The bench was free. So was the view.”

“Sat across from a retired tugboat captain and a nervous first-timer like me. Left with a soup recipe and two phone numbers written on a napkin. Paper!”

“Asked what was playing. Owner just handed me the sleeve and said “stay for the B-side.” I stayed for the B-side. Mingus the cat approved.”

“Third swim. Water was 54 degrees and I yelled a little and eleven strangers cheered. I have never felt more awake in my life.”

“Found the split cedar on the second try. Lupine everywhere, exactly like the note said. We told no one. Well — we’re telling you.”

“A kid played the first four bars of Für Elise nine times in a row and the whole promenade rooted for bar five. Bar five arrived. Applause.”

“Left my favorite novel, took a stranger’s favorite novel. There was a pressed fern on page 112. The kettle was already warm when I arrived.”